Cars of the Future:
61 Examples of the Latest Technology in Automobiles

Between smartphones, social media, augmented reality devices, and cloud-based
storage, our lives look remarkably different than they did 10 or even
5 years ago.

This is not even a small exaggeration: Technology has completely disrupted
the way we interact with each other and the world.

Now the world’s largest tech companies and personalities are setting
their sights on revolutionizing auto technology—and many of them
have already started. In this guide, we’ve gathered together the
newest technology auto companies have to offer: from luxury items you
may have already seen, to bleeding-edge technologies our vehicles may
not get for another 10 years. From 1900 to 1960, we went from horse-and-buggies
to mass-produced vehicles in millions of driveways nationwide.

The next 10 years promises to be an even bigger jump. Learn where that
jump will land below!

Fuel Economy Technology

Automakers have a mandate from federal regulators: all cars must have an
Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) of 54.5 mpg by 2025. Not the
best or most economical cars—all vehicles must meet a high bar of efficiency to meet regulatory standards. While
the Trump Administration has floated the possibility of rolling back CAFE
standards (a move lauded by American vehicle manufacturers), forward-thinking
manufacturers and designers continue to work toward creating increasingly
efficient engines.

#1: Clean Fuel

Energy companies are focusing on creating sustainable fuels for the vehicles
of the future. As many cars will rely less and less on gasoline (not soon,
but eventually), companies are staying front-footed with developing synthetic fuels.

Some processes currently being tested include:

Converting solid coal into liquid fuel

Turning agricultural waste into liquid fuel

Producing ethanol from cellulose (like straw, wood, or waste)

Ethanol from cellulose would be particularly useful, as currently it relies
on corn—which cuts into the food supply. This class of fuel has
been nicknamed "SunFuel."

#2: Regenerative Braking

Electric or hybrid engines use battery power to turn the axle, propelling
the car forward. However, the same process can be reversed to
charge the battery. Basically, when the engine is put into “generator”
mode, it reverses direction. This slows the car down without wearing the
brake pads. It
also converts the kinetic energy into electrical energy—charging the battery
while assisting the car’s stopping power. Regenerative braking is
not new technology, but it
is becoming widespread.

Cars that currently come with regenerative braking today include:

2017 Toyota Prius

2017 Mazda3

Tesla Roadster

Tesla Model S

For hybrid engines, regenerative braking could create 10 to 25 percent
better fuel efficiency. Some hybrid and electric vehicles (as well as
competition vehicle models) have regenerative braking systems already,
but there are manufacturers working on a regenerative braking system for
gas engines as well. Mazda claims that they'll be able to improve fuel
efficiency for gas engines by
10 percent with regenerative braking.

#3: 48-V Electrical Systems

Currently, most cars are equipped with 12-V batteries. The air conditioning
compressor, coolant pump, alternator, and power steering rely on the engine’s
power to keep them running with the drive belt. This design worked for
vehicles with limited electrical needs, but cars are increasingly adding
features that require battery power—many vehicles today have already
reached their car’s capacity for electrical output.

Enter the 48-V battery system. With up to 10 kW output (500% the output
of a 12V battery), 48-V systems would handle the AC, coolant pump, and
alternator as well as a multitude of "infotainment" systems.
The output capability also prepares for the rise of fully autonomous driving
systems. Auto experts and futurists expect 48-V batteries to be standard
in 20% of vehicles by 2025: a lofty but plausible prediction.

Manufacturers of luxury vehicles are the first adopters of much-larger
power capabilities:

Bentley

Audi

Delphi

Bosch

Continental

Valeo

This is not the first time that higher-voltage systems have been introduced
to the car-buying public. 42-V batteries tried (and failed) to gain public
support in 2000, but both tastes and needs have changed: regulators and
buyers are far more concerned about the environment, and people have far
higher expectations of their car's electrical features. For these reasons,
experts believe the 48-V system will become standard in only a few years.

#4: Advanced Cylinder Deactivation

Cylinder deactivation is a common technology today—most drivers don’t
even realize when their car is optimizing fuel use by shutting down cylinders.

Cadillac first introduced the ability to deactivate cylinders in 1981,
but the increased use of engine computers has made advanced cylinder deactivation
even more precise. GM and Delphi are both licensing technology to create
highly-efficient engines that deactivate as many as
six cylinders in light-load conditions. Imagine a V8 high-performance engine operating
on only two cylinders—such efficiency is possible, and would improve
fuel economy by 15%.

#5: Silicon Anode Batteries

The reason batteries haven’t replaced gasoline engines is due to
energy density. Gasoline’s energy output is still far better than
a battery’s, pound for pound. For example, the Chevrolet Volt has
a battery weighing nearly 1,000 pounds that runs at 60 kWh (kilowatt hours).
That’s roughly the same output as 1.8 gallons of gas. Thankfully, researchers have discovered a potential solution. Anodes made
of silicon can collect far more electrons and increase a battery’s
energy density by 10-40%. Unfortunately, pure silicon causes the electrode
to swell, so researchers will have to tinker for a few more years before
they can create a dependable, energy-dense battery.

#6: Camshaft-Less Engines

For non-gearheads out there, the camshaft is what opens and closes the intake
and exhaust valves for the engine’s cylinders. Basically, cams let
in the air-fuel mixture that allows an internal combustion engine to combust
and release the exhaust. The camshaft has to open and close the valves
with precise timing to maximize fuel efficiency Researchers have already
attempted to replace the camshaft system with computer-controlled actuators,
which are timed according to what is most efficient
for each cylinder. With independent valve timing for each cylinder, engines could optimize
fuel use at unprecedented levels.

The problem? It was a.) too noisy, and b.) took way too much battery power.
However, with the advent of 48-V battery systems (mentioned earlier),
camshaft-less engines are a real possibility.

#7: Turbine Plug-In Hybrids

When people think of hybrid engines, they often think of small economy cars.

For good reason: early hybrid systems lacked the charge and efficiency
needed to power large vehicles. However, Nikola Motors and Wrightspeed
(owned by a former Tesla employee) have been developing a plug-in hybrid
that includes a turbine generator. When fully charged, a Wrightspeed truck
could get 30 miles of propulsion. Additional range would be provided by
a generator powered by a turbine, which could run on natural gas or nearly
any combustible fuel. The advantage is that turbines are exceptionally
suited for constant high-load work. The battery would then assist with
acceleration and charge through regenerative braking.

#8: Electric Superchargers

Superchargers suck higher volumes of air into the engine, increasing fuel
combustion for higher power output. The problem with traditional superchargers
is the lag between the driver’s activation of the system and the
actual power output. Electric superchargers have a battery-powered motor
that eliminates lag, creating a far more responsive machine. Combined
with cylinder deactivation, electric superchargers can send larger volumes
of air to a smaller cylinder volume—creating massive torque for
heavy-load or high-grade situations. Alternatively, driving downhill charges
the battery. This isn’t a common feature yet—the Audi SQ7
TDI is the first U.S. car to offer it. However, superchargers are going to be
far more common for reasons we discuss in another feature.

#9: Solid-State Batteries

Traditional car batteries use a gel to facilitate electron transfer. Solid-state
batteries uses a crystalline material that doesn’t degrade, costs
less, and has greater energy density. These batteries could double the
range of electronic vehicles, while shortening the charging time to only
a few minutes. The catch? Tech companies haven’t figured out how
to mass produce them yet. It’ll be a few years before solid-state
batteries are standard. Japanese newspapers report that Toyota is about
5 years away from a solid-state battery ready for mass production and
widespread adoption. BMW is allegedly also working on an SSB of their own.

#10: Variable Compression Ratio

An engine’s compression ratio is a description of its power—the
greater the ratio, the more powerful the engine. Variable compression
ratios allow an engine to alter its output based on the need of the moment.
Heavy load situations lead to a higher compression ratio; the opposite
for light load. This allows for far greater fuel efficiency. As engines
move toward using electric actuators, the compression ratio could be altered
per cylinder to maximize fuel use and allow the engine to operate at optimal levels
in many different situations.

#11: Small Turbo Engines

For some auto manufacturers, achieving 54.5 mpg efficiency will require
the use of smaller engines. However, many of them are developing ways
to decrease engine size without sacrificing performance or power.
Enter the small turbo engine. The small turbo engine comes with an electric supercharger to increase
power without increasing fuel consumption. These engines will also be
more environmentally-friendly, resulting in less emissions. Ford developed
a version of this for the Fiesta and the F-150, calling the feature “EcoBoost.”
High-performance vehicles such as the 2017 Porsche 911 and the 2017 718
Cayman both come equipped with a small turbo engine.

#12: Carbon Fiber Panels

Achieving incredible fuel economy requires more than efficient engines.
Auto manufacturers are looking at ways to develop lighter vehicles, which
could create up to
3 times the fuel efficiency. Carbon fiber paneling is the front runner for the panel material of the
future—replacing our use of aluminum or steel. For reference, carbon
fiber is the material used for planes and bicycles. It’s lightweight
and strong, making it ideal for a light, fast, and agile fuel-efficient
car. Unfortunately, this won’t be a widespread solution until global
manufacturing infrastructure chooses to shift into carbon fiber production—which
will be a slow process. The other disadvantage? Currently, producing carbon
fiber materials is costlier than traditional materials. Regardless, optimists
hope for a future where cars are both lighter and safer, reducing their
impact on the environment.

#13: Shapeshifting for Aerodynamics

Aerodynamic cars are already proven to have far greater fuel efficiency
than cars of traditional shape. The issue isn’t the science—it’s
the marketability. In other words, aerodynamic design is just not sexy.
Mercedes-Benz is developing a way to overcome that issue. Their concept
car, the IAA (Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile), has panels that change
position under certain conditions—automatically changing the aerodynamics
of the vehicle. For example, at 50 mph, the car’s tail extends by
15 inches, and the bumper extends by 1 inch. This results in a drag coefficient of
.19—for reference, the current industry leader has a DC of .28! When and how
the car changes will be optimized by onboard software, which also provides
passengers with a real-time look at how their car is shapeshifting. This
technology may be far away from mainstream use, but the technology is
at least proven to work. Cars like this could remain appealing to buyers
while offering a physics-based source of fuel efficiency.

Safety Technologies

As vehicle accident lawyers, we’re personally invested in seeing
safety technology improve in meaningful ways in the next few years. Because
tech giants are pushing the industry toward autonomous driving, automakers
are quickly developing new safety features to solve old problems. While
we may be only a few years away from totally self-piloted vehicles, the
technologies being developed in the meantime are helping drivers stay
safe today.

#14: Electronic Sun Visor

This technology would rely on sensors in the windshield that read the angle
at which sunlight is entering your vehicle. With eye-detection technology,
the windshield would be able to automatically darken when the angle of
sunlight meets your eyes. That means no more accidents from excessive
glare or sunrise/sunset situations!

#15: Side Collision Prevention

This technology would all but eliminate collisions that occur in parking
lots and high-traffic parking situations. Using radar sensors installed
on the side of the car, the dashboard would alert the driver when objects
or pedestrians are in their path. The sensors would supplement side and
rear view mirrors, allowing the driver to respond to objects they cannot
see. This would help drivers avoid sideswiping people and objects, which
is the most frequent type of collision according to transportation research.
Sideswiping collisions also make up a large percentage of low-speed vehicle
collisions.

#16: Remote Vehicle Shutdown

Police officers and OnStar services already have the ability to shut down
vehicles remotely in order to stop a car thief. However, in the future
drivers themselves will have the ability to remotely shut down vehicles
in order to prevent unauthorized use. Some auto makers are working on
a remote vehicle shutdown where the vehicle takes control of itself and
parks itself on the side of the road to await law enforcement. This would
require much more dependable autonomous control, as many states are hesitant
to equip cars with features that override the driver’s decisions—even
a thief’s.

#17: Driver Health Monitoring

A small number of accidents occur each year because a driver suffered a
heart attack, stroke, or other medical emergency at the wheel. While not
common, these events are no less tragic—an accident can’t
be prevented when the driver suffered an unpreventable emergency. Ford
has previewed the use of sensors in the seatbelt, driver's seat, and steering
wheel that allows your car to track your vitals. These sensors will integrate
with automated driving systems, allowing the car to gauge your vitals,
decided if intervention is necessary, and pull over automatically when
the driver is unable to drive. If life-threatening, the vehicle will also
contact paramedics. Ford envisions a future where your car will know your
temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and other signs of health that
immediately affect your ability to drive; this future aligns with a projection
that one-third of Ford's customers will be 65 or older in 2050.

#18: Airbags That Stop Cars

Mercedes-Benz is developing a braking system that uses airbags to prevent
collisions. In addition to placing airbags within a car to protect passengers,
airbags would also be deployed underneath a car’s front tires. The
airbags would be lined with a high-friction surface, doubling your vehicle’s
stopping power. The airbags would also lift the car 8 cm to improve bumper-to-bumper
alignment. This prevents cars from sliding underneath the bumpers of taller
vehicles. The airbags would be integrated with a vehicle’s front
sensors, allowing them to automatically deploy when the car “realizes”
impact is imminent at current speed and distance. These airbags would
provide protection from impact by
preventing collisions rather than cushioning them.

#19: Driver Override Technology

This feature is a regulator’s worst nightmare—but is perhaps
key to preventing collisions on a meaningful scale. Driver override technology
is exactly what it sounds like: technology that allows the car’s
operating system to make decisions in place of (or in spite of) the driver.

Forecasted features include:

Applying the brakes, even when the gas is pressed

Disregarding the driver’s steering in high-risk situations

Responding to information from sensors (radar, sonar, camera) without the
driver’s knowledge or consent

Most car accidents are the result of user error. However, few people are
trusting enough of technology to allow their cars to make decisions on
their behalf—even if a machine is programmed to be safer or more
responsive. While fully-autonomous cars are in our future, semi-autonomous
systems that pick-and-choose when to "take the wheel" might
be a hard sell. For now, drivers are more comfortable taking control from
the computer—not the other way around.

#20: Lane Keep Warning & Assist

Lane Keep Warnings are already becoming a common feature in cars today.
A front-facing camera will use visual cues to warn the driver when they
are moving out of the lane. However, some early adopters have already
condemned the service as
annoying, as the lane keep warning was triggered often enough to tune it out. Lane Keep
Assist technology, however, might change the game and make the feature more palatable.
While it would still issue a warning, cars with Lane Keep Assist would provide
minor automatic steering corrections to keep the driver on track.

Automated systems help drivers stay safer without running the risk of “cry
wolf”—where a warning is so often issued that drivers ignore
it at their risk. In both cases, the technology can be disabled by consistent
steering pressure or the use of a turn signal, both of which indicate
deliberate driving.

#21: Car Radar Sensors

Radar sensors are a huge part of what makes autonomous driving possible
in the future, and what makes collision prevention possible today. None
of the technology involved here is “new,” per se. Radar has
been around for decades. However, engineers have only just begun using
radar for vehicle applications. Using radar sensors allows the vehicle
to be “aware” of objects in the area, as well as their trajectory
compared with the vehicle’s path. This allows the car to predict
when an object will collide with it and respond to it proactively. Adaptive
cruise control is equipped on some vehicles, using radar to detect the
speed of the car in front of the driver and adjusting speed accordingly.
Radar sensors can be integrated into a car’s braking and steering
systems for collision avoidance. Bosch has partnered with a navigation
company called TomTom to create highly-accurate maps for autonomous driving
using—you guessed it—radar sensors.

#22: Car Sonar Sensors

Vehicle sonar operates on the same principles as radar sensors, but is
used for shorter-range object detection. Car sonar uses ultrasonics to
detect the presence and position of objects on the side of the car (like
a bat). Highly-calibrated sensors eliminate the “blind spot,”
allowing drivers to respond to objects they cannot see but the car can
“hear.” As many day-to-day collisions are the result of sideswiping
and negligent lane changes, these sensors will be game-changers for collision
prevention.

#23: Video Mirrors

Rather than depend on traditional mirrors, some auto makers are employing
the use of high-resolution camera feeds. This would eliminate the risk
of in-cabin mirror obstructions (such as those in packing vans or tightly
packed passenger vehicles), but drivers would still have the option to
switch off the camera feed for a traditional mirror. Side view mirror
cameras will soon be an option as well, although the technology is still
being perfected. This would allow large trucks to eliminate their blind
spots with cameras that provide a full, unobstructed view of the side
of the rig.

#24: Adaptive Headlights

Adaptive headlights are headlights that turn according to a car’s
path, allowing drivers to clearly see where they will be turning. It works
by having motorized bulbs integrated with a car’s steering. Where
the car is turning is where the headlights turn first, allowing for safer
navigation of curved
roads and turns in low-light situations. This feature has already appeared
in a mainstream vehicle: the 2016.5 Mazda CX-5 has an adaptive headlight option.

#25: Matrix LED Headlights

Matrix LEDs are headlights made of several LED bulbs. As a result, individual
bulbs can turn off independently of others.
Why would you need to turn off individual bulbs? Matrix LEDs are constantly in “high beam” mode in order to
promote visibility. Rather than turn off when facing an oncoming driver,
Matrix LEDs could turn off the bulbs that are angled toward the other
car’s windshield, while keeping the bulbs that are illuminating
the road. The headlights could tell when a driver would be blinded by
integrating with a front-facing camera, thus preventing you from endangering
other drivers while maximizing your field of view.

#26: Rear End Collision Avoidance

Multiple car manufacturers have begun including rear end collision avoidance
as an option on vehicles (and used some creative marketing to advertise
it). Using sensors—either radar or sonar—cars are able to
detect when a fender bender is imminent. The system combines information
regarding your speed and the distance from the object to apply automatic
braking, keeping you from a costly accident. What is especially useful
is the car calculates how much braking power needs to be applied to prevent
impact. That means if you’re not braking fast enough, the car will
make up for your miscalculation and add braking power.

#27: Active Protection

“Active Protection” has got to be one of the best safety features
to recently hit the car scene. Essentially, active protection allows your
car to brace for impact when it senses that impact is unavoidable.
Seconds before collision, the car will:

Close all windows and the moonroof

Bring backrest to an upright position

Activate “Active Head Restraints” (more below)

Pre-tenses seatbelts

Retracts passengers into seats

All of these measures reduce the impact and help protect passengers from
severe injuries. BMW developed a version of active protection in 2012,
and Mercedes-Benz has developed and released a similar system as well.
We hope features like this become the standard for vehicles for the future.

#28: Pink Noise

One of the often-overlooked consequences of a car crash is acoustic injury;
the sound of a car crash is deafening enough to cause permanent hearing
damage. “Pink noise” is a frequency that the car’s sound
system plays in the seconds prior to an unavoidable crash. The frequency
causes the ear to reflexively tighten, which protects the delicate bones
of the inner ear from sudden hearing damage. Essentially, it causes your
ear to automatically brace itself for impact. “Pink noise”
is an example of a small, cutting-edge technology feature that could help
improve the quality of life for
thousands of car accident victims. The Mercedes-Benz E Class introduced this in 2016,
but it may be available as a safety feature much more often in coming
years. Mercedes-Benz calls it a "cheap and simple way to reduce...impact
of road trauma."

#29: Pedestrian Detection

This feature is a variation on forward collision prevention technology.
Rather than detecting objects moving at vehicle-level speeds, this feature
focuses on spotting pedestrians. As pedestrians are far more vulnerable
to car collisions than any driver or passenger, we think this technology
is the most vital form of collision prevention. When the car’s sensors
spot a pedestrian in or near the car’s path, the dashboard will
issue a visual and audible warning to the driver. In the future, as cars
become equipped with interactive heads-up displays (more on that later),
pedestrians will automatically be highlighted in a driver’s field
of view, improving pedestrian visibility and safety on the road.

#30: Active Head Restraints

Globally, the most common injury following a car accident is whiplash.
Whiplash can occur even when both vehicles are traveling slower than 20
miles per hour. Active Head Restraints
proactively prevent whiplash and other neck injuries in rear-end collisions. The way
it works is simple: when the car detects an object that’s about
to collide with your car, the headrest moves up and forward to cradle
your head and absorb the energy of the impact. This transition, like Active
Protection, takes somewhere around 150 milliseconds to trigger and complete
(according to designers and researchers). That’s just a little more
time than we take to blink—and technology like this will only get
faster. Nissan (one of the automakers developing the technology) claims
that it will reduce the impact on the neck
by 45 percent.

Convenience Technology

Car technology will not only make driving safer, but more efficient. Relying
on algorithms, increased data, and constant streams of communication will
make driving a far more standard experience in the future. Imagine a world
where traffic is regulated by the city’s computer itself, directing
cars for maximum efficiency and minimum travel time. That’s the
vision many automakers are working toward.

#31: Fully Active Suspension

We know this article is titled “Cars of the Future,” but technology
sometimes takes a while to come of age. As an example, fully active suspension
(FAS) systems have been around since the early 1980s. However, they were
often limited to high-performance racing vehicles—semi-active suspension
was more common for consumer vehicles. However, computer-controlled fully-active
suspension systems recently made a comeback thanks to Audi, Mercedes-Benz,
and other luxury auto manufacturers. These systems are capable of making
3,000 adjustments per second in response to road conditions.

FAS systems have two purposes:

Maintain a completely level and smooth ride for the driver

Improve the handling and agility of the car

Here’s how FAS works:

Fully active suspension automatically changes the length of each wheel’s
strut in response to road conditions and forces affecting the car (pitch
and roll, acceleration and deceleration, and lift). For instance, if a
car is making a tight right turn, rotational force will be applied to
the right side of the vehicle. FAS would lengthen the struts on the left
of the vehicle to counteract this force and keep the driver level. Systems
can use hydraulics or electronics to adjust strut length.

This has the added benefit of applying force to individual tires when they
need it most, reducing the handling issues that result from high-speed
turns. Mercedes-Benz’ “active body control” uses a spring,
shock absorber, and hydraulic cylinder to adjust the strut length. A sensor
in each cylinder monitors the position of the wheel, while 5 sensors measure
side-to-side, front-to-rear, and vertical forces. Using this information,
the car makes adjustments to each hydraulic cylinder to maintain a safe
and level ride. To give you an idea of how responsive FAS systems are,
each adjustment takes about
10 milliseconds to implement, or less than a tenth of an eyeblink.

#32: Automated Valet (V2I Technology)

Imagine that you pull up to a restaurant or party, and you leave your car
at the front. Rather than handing the keys to a valet, you instruct your
car to find a nearby parking structure and park itself. When you’re
done, you call the car back and it drives itself back to your location.
This sort of convenience is not as far-fetched as it used to be. Automated
valet features are going to be possible soon with Vehicle-to-Infrastructure
communication, or V2I. Essentially, parking structures, office buildings,
and other permanent structures would be able to communicate and coordinate
with autonomous vehicles, allowing cars to park themselves in the nearest
available space. This technology promises far more possibilities than
an automatic parking feature—V2I may completely change the driving
habits of the future.

Audi has already begun the V2I revolution with Traffic Light Information,
a feature that tells the driver information about nearby traffic lights.
Using a Heads-Up Display, drivers will be able to know exactly how much
time they have until the light turns green. Using 4G LTE, the car communicates
directly with the traffic management system used by select cities around
the U.S. It was released in December 2016 and is featured on the 2017
Audi A4, Q7, and allroad models. This article covers V2I more below in
the section entitled “Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication.”

#33: Adaptive Cruise Control

Adaptive cruise control integrates radar sensors with cruise control system.
Sensor integration allows the cruise control system to adjust speed based
on the distance of the car in front of it and adapt to current traffic
patterns. In little or no traffic, cruise control will operate as normal.
However, adaptive cruise control allows drivers to utilize the feature
safely in stop-and-go traffic, braking and accelerating to maintain a
consistent distance between drivers and the car in front of them. Because
adaptive cruise control relies on radar rather than visual information,
it also becomes a safer feature to use in fog or low-light.
The hidden benefit of adaptive cruise control? The most common cause of traffic is inconsistent distance between cars,
which leads to a “slinky effect” where drivers are contracting
and extending. This is how braking or accelerating inefficiently can cause
a traffic jam miles behind you. Adaptive cruise control, by maintaining
a computer-controlled distance, could save hours’ worth of traffic
congestion.

#34: Smartwatch Integration

For all you drivers who have always wanted to be James Bond, we have good
news. As car systems become able to connect on cellular (or other) networks,
drivers will be capable of remotely controlling their car with their watches.
Don’t expect remote controlled driving (yet), but soon drivers will
be able to remotely lock and unlock their doors, trigger the alarm, start
or stop the engine, and even find the car if they’ve lost it in
a massive parking lot. It’s not quite the same as voice commanding
the car to launch anti-theft weaponry, but it’s a good start. In
2016, Ford launched a wearables lab to test smartwatch integration with
its fleet, and Mercedes-Benz has been advertising the feature in their
cars since 2013 as a way to warn of bad traffic, check if the doors are
locked, and car diagnostic information.

One of the benefits of integrating software into vehicles is that app development
works on a faster life-cycle than hardware development. Thus, automakers
and developers can roll out improvements to your car without you needing
to buy a whole new vehicle. However, consumers may consider that as much
of a curse as a blessing. Most people buy a new phone every two years
due to hardware turning obsolete--if the auto industry follows suit, buying
a car might become a more expensive, short-term purchase.

#35: Eco-Mode

Eco-mode is a driving feature that is being offered by companies like Dodge,
Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota, and Chevrolet. It’s a driving mode that
makes the throttle less responsive, slowing down acceleration while jumping
the transmission to higher gears at lower speeds. It will be a standard
feature in new vehicles before long. Onboard computers will also begin
providing a form of “eco-mode.” Navigation settings will allow
your vehicle to find and follow the most economical and fuel efficient
route, offer tips on driving “green,” and even reward eco-friendly
driving behavior.

In both cases, drivers may soon have the ability to transmit data regarding
their eco-use to dealerships. Why do that? Regulators are hoping to incentivize
environmentally-friendly driving habits by encouraging drivers to earn
“reward points” for using eco-mode. Reward points work for
credit card spending—it may work for driving too.

#36: 3D Gesturing

Cars of the future may replace all touchscreens and buttons with 3D gestures.
Imagine pointing at the dashboard to answer a call, or making a downward
motion to roll down your windows. Interior motion sensors would allow
drivers to program actions according to their hand movements. What’s
most exciting about this feature is what it implies about the future of
car interfaces. With 3D gesturing and automation based on software, your
car’s interface could become
completely customizable. Your driving experience would be completely unique to you (and perhaps
limit the number of people who could operate your vehicle). More importantly,
it could make operating a vehicle safer. With an interface based on gestures,
drivers could devote more of their visual attention to the road. Too many
accidents happen every year because a driver took a second to turn down
their radio’s volume. 3D gesturing completely eliminates that issue.

#37: Built-In Vehicle Tracking

We’ll admit—this one is a little more
1984 than many are comfortable with. Vehicle tracking would allow drivers and
third-parties to track mileage and location with unprecedented precision.
As far as implementation, the technology already exists; the only obstacle
is whether drivers will want to opt-in for vehicle tracking. In fact,
this is one of the few features that isn’t driven by consumer needs—insurance
companies are the strongest pushers for vehicle tracking. They are asking
regulators to allow insurers to charge insurance fees based on mileage
rather than policy. This could be great news for some drivers…and
terrible for commuters. At the very least, it might provide a more accurate
and precise way to charge for car insurance. The good news is that early
adopters would likely get discounts from insurers. If you don’t
mind living in a slightly Orwellian future, this might be your chance
to save on car insurance.

#38: Automatic Parallel Parking

Parallel parking. It’s the bane of every inexperienced or learning
driver—or at least it used to be. Cutting-edge vehicles are now
becoming equipped with an automated parallel parking feature. As the earliest
demonstration of automated driving, automated parallel parking allows
the car to control the steering and speed of the vehicle while it parks itself.
The system works this way: the driver aligns the vehicle according to car sensors. The driver then
presses the parallel parking assist button to start the process. Using
sensors and cameras to detect the curb (and other objects), the car takes
over the steering column and backs in at precisely the correct angle.
Currently, automatic parallel parking isn’t
truly automated—the driver still needs
to align the car and keep their foot on the brake to prevent backing in
too quickly. However, the system is still a godsend for the parking-challenged.
Certain Mercedes, Lexus, Toyota, and Ford models offer a version of automated
parallel parking assistance.

#39: Active Window Displays

Seeing as our greatest modern distraction is a pocket-sized screen, turning
our windshields into giant screens seems like a disastrous idea. However,
researchers believe it could actually turn us into safer drivers. Known
as “heads-up displays,” or HUDs, active window displays would
act as “augmented reality dashboards.”

These screens would:

Provide real-time navigation information

Highlight the presence of objects and pedestrians

Act as the odometer, speedometer, and other vital dials

…all placed directly on top of your view of physical surroundings
(for example, an upcoming turn would have a blue arrow superimposed on
the road itself, with information telling you how fast you should take
the turn, any objects in your path, and how soon the turn is coming up).
By putting this information directly in front of the driver, it keeps
them from looking at a phone or away from their windshield. Rather than
adding distractions, an HUD would limit them—at least ideally.

Regardless of the safety implications, many futurists believe HUDs will
be standard by 2020.

#40: Level 5 Automation

This feature right here is the dream:
the completely independent, fully autonomous car. Cars with Level 5 automation would operate completely without user intervention—allowing
“drivers” to read, relax, watch a movie, or otherwise pay
no attention to the road. The most exciting part (or terrifying, depending
on who you are) about this technology is how soon it might be upon us:
Tesla has recently committed to equipping every single one of their vehicles
with Level 5 automation capability. The hardware already exists—the
software (and the legal regulations) required for total automation are
still being developed.

Self-driving cars would be capable of:

Sensing traffic lights before they’re within sight

Quickly analyzing and integrating information about surroundings

Making split-second driving decisions with precision based on data

Analyzing traffic patterns to avoid or prevent congestion

Preventing accidents through optimized course correction

Tesla uses a series of 8 cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors to provide all
the information a self-driving car needs to make safe driving decisions.
The cameras provide a complete 360-degree view of surroundings for a distance
up to 820 feet, and the ultrasonic system would pick up—and distinguish
between—hard/soft objects at twice the distance of current sonar
sensors. Level 5 Automation has the potential to change the way we look
at commutes, freeing us to devote hours of our day. Most excitingly, widespread
automation may prevent
thousands of injuries and fatalities nationwide. Only time will tell if the law
will be able to keep up with the vast technological, behavioral, and philosophical
shifts that self-driving cars will bring.

Entertainment Features of the Future

With drivers receiving greater driving assistance from their vehicles and
users integrating their phones and watches into daily life, the opportunities
for “infotainment” companies has never been stronger. The
cars of the future will not only be safer and more autonomous—they
might transform into mobile entertainment centers (that happen to travel).

#41: Active Curve Tilting

Active Curve Tilting allows cars to take high-speed turns with greater
safety and control. While the feature has been in development for a little
while, Mercedes-Benz currently offers a version as one of their high-performance options.
Here’s how it works: When a car takes a sharp turn, the ACT system will slightly angle the
tire—similar to the way that a skier or motorcycle rider will angle
themselves on curves or turns. This increases a car’s stability
and precision while taking sharp turns. While this is partially a safety
feature, Active Curve Tilting is geared toward “high-performance”
drivers—people who drive for the thrill. For the purposes of this
article, we'd call this an entertainment feature (no offense to all you
speed demons out there).

#42: Teen Audio Control

For our readers with teenage drivers, this feature might interest you.
Ford includes the MyKey feature with every model they offer. MyKey allows
owners to limit the speed and speaker volume of their cars remotely. Don’t
want your teen driving above 80mph? You can do that. Want to make sure
their music isn’t too distracting? Keep the volume as low as you like.

#43: Family Trip Clock

This feature is a simple one that would keep parents from answering the
eternal road trip question:
“Are we there yet?” The family trip clock would utilize your navigation system and rear-facing
screens to show your kids exactly how far you’ve driven and how
much longer you have to go (usually with a friendly representation, like
a caterpillar eating a vine). Whether that’s a curse or a blessing
may depend on the kind of children you have.

#44: In-Car Internet Marketing

IBM and General Motors are partnering up to deliver personalized content
to drivers. The system, which will be called OnStar Go, will be available
by the end of 2017. Like Facebook, Twitter, and Gmail ads, the system
will allow advertisers to send you targeted marketing through your vehicle’s
internet connection. Predictions regarding in-car marketing are based
on projections that all cars sold by 2020 will be able to connect to the
internet. Ads may even appear on dashboards or windshields. This may not
seem like a feature to many, but it will allow drivers to shop and find
vendors to meet their needs while on the go.

#45: Better Connectivity

All of us have faced the inconvenience of having poor or nonexistent signal.
Automakers of the future are developing ways to eliminate that problem
by turning cars into roaming hotspots. The Chevrolet Camaro is already
a 4G LTE hotspot, giving drivers access to cell service at all times.
Futurists believe that the cars of tomorrow will even serve as portable
Wifi sources, which would vastly improve the capability of employees to
work on the go in their “mobile offices.”

#46: Software Upgrades vs. Hardware Upgrades

As it currently stands, improving your car’s interface requires a
hardware upgrade. New navigators, better music streaming, better video
controls—these all require new parts. However, cars on the horizon
will have customizable platforms (in same vein as your phones). That means
future upgrades will be OS-based, improving your software rather than
your hardware. This will have some limits, of course—we still have
to replace our phones every few years. Ideally, car companies would include
highly-capable platforms that will remain relevant and fast for years,
with easy replacement when the time comes. The MyFord Touch platform is
the most recent example of application-based vehicle interfaces, and is
a sign of what’s to come.

#47: Teen Driver Mode

Cars are heading toward customizable driving experiences, where the car’s
interface and controls will be adapted to the driver. Imagine a different
“driver profile” for each member of your family—each
with its own settings and preferences. Chevy has adapted that idea to
parents with teen drivers. The new Chevy Malibu has a “teen driver
mode” geared toward keeping teen drivers accountable to their parents
for their driving habits—even when driving alone. Teen driver mode
sets a limit on the radio’s volume, disables the audio system unless
seatbelts are engaged, and sends a “report card” directly
to the car’s owner.

The driver’s report card includes information such as:

Max speed reached

Distance traveled

How often collision alerts were triggered

How often stability control had to engage

We classify this as an “entertainment” feature because it allows
teens the freedom to drive and enjoy their independence with a healthy
dose of accountability. Parents may be more willing to let their teen
borrow the car with the report card feature, and teens will have a concrete
reward for good driving habits. In the end, this technology may create
a new generation of safer drivers. At least, it will before Level 5 automation
becomes standard and no one is driving anymore.

#48: Efficient Supercars

Supercars are normally vehicles with massive engines, with 12 to 16 cylinders
for incredible power and speed. However, such a high cylinder account
and engine volume is not suited to efficient fuel consumption. Enter the
efficient supercar. These high-performance vehicles utilize only 4 to
6 cylinders, but supplement their power with an electric supercharger.
This creates a vehicle with the same power and speed as a much larger
engine, but with far more effective use of fuel. As a result, it is far
more economical than a car relying purely on engine power—perhaps
making the supercar more feasible for daily drivers. While purists and
traditionalists may scoff at the idea of a “supercar” with
only 4 cylinders, the hardware exists and performance doesn’t lie.
The supercar of the future will rely on electrical power and forced air
intake to make 6-cylinder engines as powerful as the excessive 16-cylinder
engines of yesteryear.

#49: 360-Degree Interior Screens

This is not so much on the horizon as it is an eventual possibility (assuming
self-driving cars become reality). With self-driving cars, there’s
no longer a need for windows or windshields. Initial generations of the
self-driving car might include them for safety or comfort reasons, but
passive passengers would eventually want to use all that window space
for entertainment or work. The next natural step would be to turn them
into screens. Cars that are lined with screens on the interior expand
their usefulness. Passengers could treat them as mobile offices, handling
virtually any task from within a moving cubicle. Others could use them
as fully-immersive private theaters. Without the need to observe the outside
of the vehicle, interior screens are virtually inevitable—and can
revolutionize the way we entertain ourselves while commuting.

#50: The Lounge on Wheels

Mercedes-Benz has recently revealed a concept car called the F015. The
premise of the concept car is based on fully-automated self-driving vehicles—without
the concentration and focus on the road, how will passengers interact
with each other? What will driving become when there is no “task”
at hand to keep drivers occupied? How will vehicle design adapt? Mercedes-Benz’
answer is turning the car into a social space—a “lounge on
wheels.” Their concept car has a long wheelbase with a low overhang,
maximizing the number of passengers. The chairs would swivel, allowing
passengers to face each other. Within this shared space, they could collaborate
on projects, enjoy entertainment together, or simply connect.

Even the seating reflects a shift, replacing pilot chairs and benches with
lounge chairs. The result is a social space that also functions as a transporter—which
may be the direction all self-driving cars will be headed before long.

Science Fiction Car Technology

Not all car technologies are ready for market—many of them are only
drawings and concepts right now. All the same, every technology began
as “just an idea.” In fact, many of the technologies
on this list were considered science fiction just a short while ago. These are the
crazy ideas that might shape our driving experience for the next few decades.

#51: Car-to-Car Communication Network

Earlier in this article, we mentioned the possibilities of Vehicle-to-Infrastructure
communication—allowing cars to drop you off and park themselves
in the nearest available structure. Automakers are looking to develop
a related feature called Vehicle-to-Vehicle technology, or V2V communication.
V2V would allow cars to send each other information about the road, including
weather conditions, traffic stops, roadblocks, accidents, and even DUI
checkpoints. MIT researchers are currently working on algorithms that
would allow vehicles to respond to each other’s “tips”
automatically, creating more efficient traffic patterns. Automated communication
means passengers get a fully optimized driving experience on every trip,
regardless of what they know about road conditions. The 2017 Mercedes-Benz
E-Class is the first car in the U.S. to have a V2V feature—however,
it currently only communicates with other E-Class vehicles with the same
feature. As a first step, it’s not bad, but ideally
all cars in the future would be in a constant state of communication with cars,
commercial trucks, emergency services, and infrastructure, allowing each
car to make smart and effective driving decisions automatically.

#52: Biometric Keys

Cars of the future will likely have sophisticated ways of identifying authorized
drivers. Rather than keys—which are a centuries-old technology—future
cars could use eye-scanning or fingerprinting to open or start vehicles.
Fingerprint scanners are already a common feature for smartphones, so
it would simply be a matter of adapting existing technology in a practical
way. Designers are already looking for a way to integrate a TouchID-type
of feature into the door handle. As windows become more like transparent
computer screens, designers also believe it would be possible to integrate
a retina scanner into the driver’s side window. Combined with push-start
buttons (or biometric engine start), the car key could quickly become
a thing of the past.

#53: Transforming Vehicles

One of the common themes of the 21st century is the “customizable
experience.” Consumers are used to their tools being multi-purpose,
phones being the easiest examples. Our phones are our navigators, calculators,
Internet devices, and primary communicators all in one. People budget
and plan their entire lives in their phone. That same experience could
potentially be applied to cars soon. Specifically, designers are playing
with the idea of an SUV that could turn into a work truck, an adventure
vehicle, or a daily driver. Using lightweight body panels that retract
or change position, car owners could retract their roof and windows into
the body panels, remove rear seats, and turn their family vehicle into
a pickup. Toyota is currently at work on a reconfigurable car concept,
so the idea of a multi-purpose, modular vehicle may soon be on every major
auto maker’s radar.

#54: Energy-Storing Body Panels

The most vital development on the minds of every auto designer is
power. How cars will power themselves may decide the future of the planet, much
less the economy. Today, Volvo researchers in Europe are working on carbon
fiber body panels that act as enormous batteries and would be charged
with regenerative braking. These body panels would allow cars to improve
fuel efficiency by lowering their weight, while overcoming the battery
weight issues electric car makers are facing. Without lightweight battery
options, fully electric vehicles continue to be a novelty and not an inevitability.
Body panel batteries could bypass that need altogether.

#55: Configurable Interiors

Designers are looking toward a future where self-driving cars completely
change the way we view commutes. One of their ideas is the concept of
a configurable interior. Going back to the concept of customizable experience,
Volvo is working on vehicle design that would allow passengers to change
their car interior according to their preferences at that moment.

Want to watch a movie? Your car’s chairs lean back and the interior darkens to become an
intimate movie theater.

Need to get some work done? A desk forms, allowing you to work comfortably wherever you are.

Want to relax? Your chair becomes a recliner and the interior screens take on a soothing
background.

This concept is exciting because of the future it represents—a future
where long commutes are opportunities to recharge or catch-up, where traffic
lets you work, play, or sleep. A future where everyone simply has more
time to live rather than drive.

#56: Digital Skin

This feature doesn’t pretend to be revolutionary—but it would
be fairly popular in a world where consumers enjoy customizable tools.
Toyota designers are playing with a concept where the outer layer of a
car is no longer paint, but a highly-durable screen. The exterior screen
would display information, change color, and would be customizable by
smartphone. Even the car’s color could be changed on a whim! There’s
even a possibility that cars with digital screens would be usable to passerby
on the street (or advertisers in the area). Imagine sitting next to a
parked car and playing a YouTube video from your phone onto the side panel,
or seeing an ad for a burger place a block down the street. That feature
might feel a little invasive to people who are used to controlling every
aspect of their belongings, but consider the possibilities: we would live
in a world where every surface could display news, weather, social information,
or be customizable to our needs in a given moment

#57: “Lidar”

Ford is working with a Chinese company to create a sonar sensor that uses
light rather than sound—thus, “lidar.” Using light waves
would create a far more detailed picture of the surrounding environment.
In addition, the sensor would be even more responsive than sonar or radar
because light travels faster than sound. In situations where milliseconds
could mean the difference between safety and collision, lidar could bring
an even greater degree of safety to self-driving cars.

#58: Laser Headlights

BMW is currently developing laser headlights for their newest models, with
the BMW i8 Hybrid in Europe the first to offer it. Laser headlights would
provide one of the most powerful beams on a consumer vehicle
ever, with visibility up to 1,969 feet. For those who don’t have a calculator
on hand, that’s about
6.6 football fields. If you’re wondering how that wouldn’t endanger other drivers,
the headlights would respond and change shape according to information
provided by the car’s sensors. When an oncoming driver is detected,
the lasers pointed in that direction would turn off independently, keeping
other drivers safe without sacrificing visibility. BMW’s technology
would even focus the headlights on objects or pedestrians in the car’s
path up to 300 feet ahead, warning the driver of their presence. This
feature would be powered by infra-red sensors, which would detect objects
well before they become visible. Combined with adaptive capabilities,
laser headlights offer some of the most advanced lighting options on the
market today—at least in Europe. The NHTSA has yet to authorize
the use of LED matrix headlights in the U.S., so it may be some time before
regulations catch up to laser headlights.

#59: Inductive Road Charging

This feature is not even close to existing, but the idea alone is exciting
enough to hope that it comes to fruition. Inductive road charging would
allow cars to charge their batteries without cables or sockets. Instead,
their batteries would charge by parking over an induction plate
inside the road itself. The induction plate would transfer power to the car’s battery plate
while it sits in the driveway or parking spot. Like with any fully-electric
car, this idea would require a whole new charging infrastructure. While
tough, building roadways with inductive charging plates wouldn’t
be impossible. This is one corporate idea that the American people may
not mind lobbying for, at least. Inductive roadways may even allow cars
to employ continuous electric drive—that is, be in a constant state
of charge, negating the need for refueling or long periods of charging.

#60: Shared Autonomous Vehicles

This is less of a feature and more of an economic reality that would arise
from self-driving cars. Autonomous vehicles create a world where
everyone is a passenger—which means there may be no reason to own a car at
all. Why buy a car for yourself when you only need it for a couple hours
every day for your commute? Futurists look forward to world where people
get around in a fleet of driverless vehicles, each one shared between
several different people whenever they’re needed. Imagine something
like a Airbnb, but with transport instead of shelter—one car owner
rents out his vehicle to locals. Uber is already working on a fleet of
cars and planes that would be able to operate autonomously. The future
is on its way. This service could especially appeal to people with a need
for multiple types of vehicles.

Taking a family trip? Book a large infotainment van to seat you all comfortably.

Taking a quick trip or commuting to work? Get in a single-seat car to zip to your destination quickly and easily.

Such an arrangement may not appeal to America’s fierce independence
and obsession with car ownership, but in 30 years, who knows? Maybe owning
a car will be as much an expensive, rare luxury as it is to own a boat today.

#61: Avian-Inspired Morphing

During flight, birds will adjust their feathers in order to achieve maximum
lift or speed with minimum effort and drag. Aircraft engineers are looking
into using piezoelectric devices and magnetorheological fluids—fluids
that form solid shapes based on the surrounding magnetic field—to
achieve the same thing. Current models promise 40% greater aerodynamics for small aircraft equipped
with these devices. Auto engineers are looking to create the same result
with road vehicles. We have already discussed vehicles that use motorized
panels to create an aerodynamic profile at certain speeds. However, this
idea is decades ahead of using a few panels—this feature would employ
a fluid-like exterior that could intelligently respond to the flow of
air around the car. How close are we to having this feature appear on
the market? Not very. Put it this way: researchers haven’t even
developed the material that'd make this technology possible yet. We’ll
just have to wait and see if aircraft engineers pass along their findings
to auto manufacturers.

2 Bonus Features of the Future!

There’s more technological advances on the horizon than any one person
could cover (although we’ve come pretty close). Many of them will
go the way of the Beta Disc or HD-DVD, but some may actually become part
of our daily commutes.
Here are 2 more future features that could shape the way we drive for decades to come.

BONUS #1: Hands-Off Doze Control

Volkswagen engineers are working on a feature that would combine health
sensors with autonomous control to prevent sleepy drivers from crashing.
Sensors would detect the driver’s heartbeat, eye movements, and
respiratory rate to determine if the driver is alert. If the internal
cameras and sensors detect that the driver is asleep, electronic steering
systems and acceleration controls keep the car steady until it can pull
over safely. For people who do not trust systems that override the driver,
Doze Control can be disabled with a turn signal or consistent steering
effort. One interesting fact: all of the hardware needed for this feature
already exists. All that’s needed is the software and algorithms to make the automatic
controls safe and dependable.

BONUS #2: ACTIV Traffic Decongestion System

This final feature isn’t necessarily a futuristic car feature as
much as it’s a futuristic
infrastructure. First, some context: traffic jams are often caused by events where a
group of cars suddenly brake and accelerate at different rates. Think
about it: car #1 accelerates immediately after braking, and car #2 delays
by a couple seconds, car #3 delays by two more seconds, and so on. This
stop-and-go pattern repeats until cars miles behind them are delayed by
several minutes to an hour. Something as simple as a lane merge could
delay drivers for miles. The only solution is virtually impossible to
achieve—each driver would have to brake and accelerate in sync with
other drivers, keeping traffic smooth and consistent. Volkswagen engineers
in Germany are working on a system called
ACTIV that would combine Vehicle-to-Infrastructure technology with autonomous
steering and acceleration, municipal cameras and sensors, and complex
algorithms to
eliminate traffic jams.
How? A local traffic management program would monitor traffic conditions
to find issues—say, a closed lane. The local traffic program would communicate with cars merging out of the
closed lane, automating their steering and braking. It would control exactly
when a car would accelerate into a merging lane, and when a car would
slow down to allow cars to merge. This would maintain safe distance between
vehicles and eliminate unnecessary braking, thus keeping traffic going
at a consistent pace. Obviously, this wouldn’t exist for a little
while, but the pieces are all in place to create a traffic-free world.
That alone is enough to make any car enthusiast optimistic about the future.

There you have it: 61 new auto technologies that we’ve seen, or may
see in the near future. The next time you’re looking for a new car,
you’ll likely see some of these cutting-edge features offered as
vehicle options—some may even come standard! As technology continues
to improve and refine itself for consumers, we hope road travel becomes
an even safer and more enjoyable experience worldwide.

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